Integrated PCS functional competency assessment

Abstract

A system and method for centrally controlling access by computers in a corporate network to a plant network that runs plant applications, and for gauging Process Control System (PCS) Functional Specification competency. This system and method will help ensure that the corporate network and plant networks are operating according to a predetermined corporate-level engineering baseline that sets the minimum “functional” parameters for the networks to meet a business target or objective.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 877,310, filed Aug. 12, 2013, which is a national phase entry of PCT / US11 / 53991 filed Sep. 29, 2011, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 388,540, filed on Sep. 30, 2010, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to access management systems, more particularly to a system and method for managing access to a plant network (i.e., a collection of process control networks) that monitors and controls plant data. The present invention especially relates to gauging process control system Functional Specification competency.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Generally, a company in industrial production operates two computer systems / networks: a corporate network 2 and a plant network 4 as shown in FIG. 1.[0004]A corporate network 2 includes a group of com...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]According one aspect of the present invention, a system for centrally controlling access by computers in a corporate network to a plant network that runs plant applications is provided. The system includes an access control computer in communication with the corporate network. The access control computer includes a memory, a processor coupled to the memory and a multi-user application stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The multi-user application communicates with a plurality of computers in the corporate network concurrently and communicates with at least one plant application running in the plant network to retrieve data from and pass data to the plant application on behalf of the plurality of computers in the corporate network concurrently. Since all communication from the plurality of computers is funneled through the access control computer, the likelihood of any virus or worm spreading into the plant network is minimized.

Problems solved by technology

Such numerous connections typically introduce the following deficiencies: 1) unnecessary processing load and configuration of multiple security policies on the firewall due to the need to code the firewall individually for each computer in the corporate network; 2) higher computer virus spread probability due to multiple connections; and 3) plant application incompatibilities and access difficulties.

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